May 11, 2011 09:08 AM
40308 Views
(Updated May 11, 2011 09:25 AM)
It’s not a bad thing that a filmmaker restricts himself to a particular genre. If staying in his comfort zone, he is able to come up with some wonderful cinema, that’s what the problem? Vikram Bhatt is one such director who, after giving as many as 9 flops in a row (all films different from the rest in content and genre) finally found solace in horror genre. 1920 was the film that got noticed chiefly because it was well-made inspite of having no famous names. His next venture Shaapit failed but Haunted, like 1920, has made hype inspite of new faces. But most importantly also because it presents horror in 3D (a rarity in Bollywood) and chiefly because it’s a superbly crafted flick. The goings-on are so engrossing that you are constantly at the edge of your seat. It thus promises nail-biting horror and entertainment!
The story of the movie: After his father falls ill, Rehan (Mahakshay Chakraborty) has no choice but to complete his work – initiating the proceedings for the sale of their property in a far-off hill station. The property, called Glen Manor, is notorious for being haunted. Rehan at first doesn’t believe it but soon realizes that it’s true. He tries to fight it and run away from it but one day he bumps across a letter. That was the day that changes his life and he decides to take the plunge of freeing the evil spirit residing therein. But Rehan doesn’t know that while doing so, he is facing the biggest challenge of his life. Will he be successful? And how?
The initial 25-30 minutes of Haunted are quite ordinary. A haunted house, protagonist hearing creepy sounds/screams, getting a errie feeling at the dead of the night, doors automatically opening and shutting et al – haven’t we seen all this before? Nevertheless the film doesn’t let your attention drive away. However, as soon as Rehan discovers the letter and flashback sequence commences, the film reaches an all time high! And it stays there right till the end. This was the juncture when you realize that this is a completely different horror film in terms of storyline and also execution.
The film abounds with numerous twists and turns. You never know where the film will go next. Being a horror film, it does send a chill down your spine at several points. Watch out for the scene where the girl, Meera (Tia Bajpai) finds herself alone and vulnerable to fight the evil spirit and Rehan taking the name of the evil and thereby making him strong. The intermission point is where the most unexpected happens. See it to believe it! The second half too keeps you engrossed. The pre-climax (dargah sequence) was terrific and when you expect the film to culminate here, you are wronged as there was more to come. It increases the film’s duration but it’s not a problem as its leaves a greater impact!
Sadly, the film has few loose ends. Firstly, it is debatable whether the film was really required in 3D. There are few scenes whose impact enhances because of 3D but maybe Vikram Bhatt’s next 3D films would justify use of this technology in a better way. Secondly, I don’t look for logic during horror films but it’s difficult to believe as to how Rehan got chocolates for Maya and clothes for himself when he didn’t have the necessary currency to buy it! Akshay-Ash starrer Action Replayy too had a similar plotline but there Aditya Roy Kapur gets money and other help from Randhir Kapoor whom he knew from the future. But this glitch can be discounted for the sake of the overall story. Also, people might have reservations with the hip-hop dance scene although it was a lovely sequence.
Haunted proves that it’s wrong to write off an actor for his first film. The actor may rise and prove that he’s as good as other actors. I am talking about the lead of Haunted, Mahakshay who debuted in Jimmy as Mimoh Chakraborty. Although he got a small fan following among masses for that film (believe it or not), he failed to break into the big league. However with Haunted he proves that he’s a terrific actor. There were several scenes (especially in the first half) where he’s alone with no actor to support and he single-handedly takes charge and excels! Although his expressions were weird at times, still he has proved that he’s a good performer!
Tia Bajpai springs a surprise. This was a very difficult role but Tia performs it with effortless ease. Not only the romantic scenes with Mahakshay but even the scenes which require her to be the victim of the ghost were nicely performed! An actor to watch out for! Arif Zakaria as the villain shines. His voice and the make-up ensure you get startled as soon as he comes on screen! Same goes for Achint Kaur who scares the hell out of you! Great work! Sanjay Sharma and Mohan Kapoor lend good support. It was quite good to see Prachee Singh Pandya in western attire. She was there for hardly 10 minutes but leaves an impact.
Chirantan Bhatt’s music is melodious and although one may argue that Haunted ought to be a songless film, songs does enhance impact. For instance, Sau Baras with its haunting tune feel goes with the mood of the film. Tera Hi Bas Hona Chahoon comes at the perfect time and its lyrics are extremely touching. Tum Ho Mera Pyaar too impacts. Raju Rao plays smartly with his background score and gives the right chills at the right time. Pravin Bhatt’s cinematography was topnotch and so was Abbas Ali Moghul’s action. Sets were good but for the finale well sequence, it could have been a little more realistic.
Amin Hajee comes up with a lovely plotline that has enough twists and turns (and maybe originality too) to keep you hooked. And Vikram Bhatt’s direction does total justice to the story. He’s already a master at horror as mentioned before and uses his experience and expertise to create a well-crafted horror film! My respect for Bhatt has increased manifold after Haunted and am now eagerly waiting for his next films – Dangerous Ishq and Raaz 3, both of which will be in 3D!
Some of the best scenes:
Rehan discovers something under the bed
The flashback sequence (terrific)
The scene involving Prachee Singh Pandya
Rehan makes the evil spirit strong
The intermission point
Tia sees Rehan for the first time
Rehan goes to Tia’s house when she’s taking piano lessons
The hotel room sequence
The pre-climax at the dargah
The climax
On the whole, Haunted delivers what it promises-FEAR! It’s a well-penned, well-executed and well-performed flick that leaves a great impact. Although debatable if 3D was required, I still recommend viewers to watch it in 3D as it might enhance the impact. Go get spooked!
